Gustav pfannkuche



(No Model.)

G. PPANNKUGHE.

GOMMUTATOR FOR RING ARMATURES.

Patented Aug. 16, 1892. 3

UNITED Si ms lllllNl (llllflt.

GUSTAV PFANNKUCHE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRUSH ELECTRICCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COMMUTATOR FOR RlNG-ARMATU RES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 80,'780, dated August16, 1892.

Application filed July 8, 1890. Serial No. 358,120. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GUSTAV PFANNKUCHE, of Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Commutators or Collectors for Ring-Armatures; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates more particularly to the commutators orcollectors for ring-armatures, which commutators are ordinarily made ofa number of parallel insulated sections or bars placed circumferentiallyabout the armature-shaft and connected with the coils progressively; butthe improvements constituting the said invention are included for allthe uses to which they may severally be adapted.

The new or improved commutator-s may be used on generators ofelectricity or 011 motors.

In accordance with said invention the commutator is provided withair-passages which terminate at the periphery or contact-surface of thecommutator in contracted openings, so that the air forced through saidopenings will issue in the form of jets. These openings may be variouslyarranged, but practically they constitute contracted slots or slitsbetween the commutator-sections. In like manner various modes of forcingthe air through the passages may be resorted to, but practically use ismade of centrifugal force generated in rotating the commutator, the saidair-passages leading from outside air in the vicinity of the axis ofrotation to the periphery of the commutator. The air passing through thepassages and issuing in jets will blow out sparks caused by the brushesleaving the different sections of the commutator and will also dissipateall heat caused by the friction of the brushes or the passage ofelectric currents and will carry off dust and particles of metal whichmay be abraded from the brushes or the commutator.

The invention also comprises a special construction or mode of formingair-passages through a commutator, which may terminate in contractedopenings or otherwise. For this purpose the commutator-sections arerecessed eral portion of each section is formed by a 7 metal facingdetachably secured to the body or the base of the section. Preferably,also, the vacant spaces referred to are formed by openings through thesections from side to side, or, in other words, are constituted bytransverse perforations. These transverse perforations may be open, likea staple, or they may be closed, like aring, and they may be of variousshapes. Those in adjacent sections are so placed as to form with eachother or with other recesses air-passages or airspaces having a generalradial direction. The use of the recessed or transversely-perforatedsections has the further advantage of exposing the interior of thecommutator more thoroughly to the air.

The invention also comprises a perforate mounting forcommutator-sections provided with intervening air-passages, whichmounting has two heads, between which the sections are placed, theperforations 0r openings in the mounting serving to put the saidairpassages in communication with the atmosphere near the axis of thecommutator.

The invention further comprises certain other special constructions andarrangements of parts in the commutator, some of which may be usedindependently of a system of passages, whereby air may be forced throughthe commutator, although mainly designed for use in that connection.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification,Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the axis of a commutatorconstructed in accordance with the invention and mounted on thearmature-shaft of a dynamo. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same, andFigs. 3 to 7 are detail views.

As shown, the commutator-sections consist each of a body or base M or M,respectively,

and a facing P, which constitutes the peripherical or contact surface ofthe section,

.. and which is detachably fastened to the base being interposed at therespective ends of the sections. The sections are insulated from eachother by pieces Z, of mica or other suitable insulating material,interposed between the bases M M.

Through the commutator are formed airpassages R, which terminate at theperiphery in contracted openings in the form of narrow slots or slitsbetween the sections of less sectional area then the passages, so thatthe air may issue in the form of thin flat jets at the places where itis best adapted to blow out sparks and to carry off dirt and metallicdust likely to interfere with the insulation of the sections from eachother. These passages,

as shown, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) are formed partly in and between thecommutator-sections M M and partly in the mounting, which is perforated,being provided with openings E and D in the sleeve 0, so that thepassages lead from the vicinity of the axis of the commutator to theperiphery. The result is that the rotation of the armature sucks in theair through the openings E D and expels it through the slots at theperiphery after it has passed through the passages R. y havingtheopenings E in the end of the sleeve or mounting it is not necessary tohave ahollow shaft, with holes through it into the openings D, but thecommutator can be applied to any shaft, (which constitutes a specialimprovement.) In either construction the passages R would communicatewith the atmosphere in the vicinity of the axis of rotation, so that theair would be sucked in by the rotation.

The passages R are formed in the sections by providing the same withrecesses or cutaway portions so arranged that vacant places extend tothe slots or slits in the periphery from the openings D in the centralsleeve C. It is preferred to make the sections with 5o transverserecesses and to arrange the adja- 1 cent sections (made of suitable formto that end) so that the recesses in adjacent sections overlap and bythe communication with one another form passages running radially. One

7 advantage of this construction is that the sections or their basepieces can be readily stamped out or cast. Thus each of the basepieces Mhas or may have, as shown in detail in Fig. 3, the flat ends connectedat the bottom 'bya bar or longitudinal member of less depth, leavingabove the bar a transverse opening or perforation, and each of thebase-pieces h may have its fiat ends connected at a suitable distanceabove the bottom by a similar bar or longitudinal member having atransverse opening on each side of the same. The basepieces M beingarranged alternately with the base-pieces M, the bars or longitudinalmembers are at such different distances from the bottom that they do notcome together, but allow the spaces under the bars of the bases M tocommunicate with the spaces above the bars of bases M. Further, asshown, the facings or the contact-bars P are supported in each sectionat the ends, leaving an air-space under the facings P. As shown, thefacings P are the same in width as the outer parts of the bases M M, andthe slits or slots between them are equal in width to the thickness of.the insulation Z, interposed between the basepieces M M.

In order to support the sections, their ends are notched at N to receivea rib O on the face of the insulating-rings G and H. The ring G has aprojection 8, which surrounds the head F of sleeve 0, and the sectionshave projections 4t and 5, which fit over the rings G and II. The head Fis caston or formed in one piece with the sleeve 0, and the head K ismade in the form of a nut, which is tapped on the said sleeve andengages the thread L, so that by screwing up said head the sections areclamped and held firmly. A metal washer T is interposed between the nutor adjustable screw-head and the insulating-ring H.

The peripheral or contact faces of the com mutator-sections have beenshown as being detachably secured to the bases or bodies of thesections, which is desirable, as permitting their ready renewal whenworn; but it is evi dent that the wearing-faces could be made integralor in one piece with the rest of the sections, and so also various othermodifications in the details of construction could be made.

Any ordinary or suitable arrangement of brushes or rubbers may beemployed. The wires of the armature may be connected with lugs shown onthe bases M M.

In operation, the commutator being mounted on a revolving armature-shaftA, the centrifugal force expels the air from between the sectionsthrough the slits or slots between the facings P at the periphery andthe air flows in through the openings D E to supply its place and be inturn expelled by the centrifugal force.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A commutator having the sections provided with transverse recessesand arranged so that said recesses in adjacent sections overlap,substantially as described.

2. A commutator having sections with fiat ends and connecting members ofless depth arranged so that said connecting members in one section areopposite vacant spaces in an adjacent section, substantially asdescribed.

3. The commutator-sections recessed or cut away behind the periphery andseperated at the periphery by slots or slits, in combination with aperforate mounting giving access from the vicinity of the axis to thespaces formed by said recesses or cut-away portions,

which spaces extend to terminate in said slots or slits, andfacing-plates located on said cut-away or recessed sections so as toleave an air-space beneath them, substantially as described.

4. In acommutator, the combination, with a hollow bearing, of two seriesof commutator-sections, each having transverse recesses, the sections ofone series being disposed so that their recesses will overlap therecesses of the sections of the other series, the sections of thecommutator being separated from each other by slits which communicate atthe periphery of the commutator with airspaces, said hollow bearinghaving an opening for the passage of air between thecommutator-sections, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the recessed or cutaway bases of thecommutator-sections, the facings for said bases, and the perforatemounting, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the transverselyreccssed bases of thecommutator-sections,

the facings for and bases, and the perforate mounting, substantially asdescribed.

7. The combination, with a perforate sleeve having heads, of atransversely-recessed sectional base and facing-plates over the recessesin said sectional base, substantially as set forth.

8. Aplate or section for a commutator, having a transverse recesstherein for producing an air-space, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with a commutator plate or section having a recessor cut-away portion in its outer edge, of a plate on said outer edge,adapted to cover said recess or cut-away portion to produce anair-space, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

GUSTAV PFANNKUCIIE. lVitnesses:

A. B. CALHOUN, O. J. LEEPHART.

